


The Book of Dragons

by ZoologicalBotanist



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Any specific characters tagged are only mentioned by the way, Basically its a redone book of dragons, Canon Divergence - How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Like how its non-fiction in-universe but fiction in ours, Realistic, They Don't Actually Appear, fictional non-fiction, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:55:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23407141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoologicalBotanist/pseuds/ZoologicalBotanist
Summary: "The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of." - Gobber the Belch, HTTYD 1While that may be true, what is known often changes with time. This is a look at what a modern-day book of dragons may look like, with updated and detailed information about the dragons including diet, behavior, and evolutionary history.The events of the books and movies are considered irrelevant, aside from use as historical details and documentation (basically unless it's an important detail, the movie plots are ignored here). Pretends the ending of Hidden World didn't happen and dragons stayed in the archipelago.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	1. Foreword

Dragons. The Barbaric Archipelago is full of them, from tiny nanodragons in the fields, to its forests, mountains, and seas. No place is free of dragons. They surround our lives, filling them with mystery and wonder, and so many questions. What do they eat? How do they behave? Where do they live? For millennia, these questions have been answered by the Dragon Manual, also known as the Book of Dragons. From its creation thousands of years ago by the viking Bork the Bold, all the way to the 400th edition you see before you, this book has helped many to better understand the dragons that share our world. 

This book will be divided into sections, or chapters, each one covering a different topic. This first few chapters after this foreword will cover dragon classes, stats, and the evolutionary tree. After that, each chapter will cover a different dragon species, providing detailed information on its diet, evolution, ecology, behavior, habitat, and other applicable information.

Now that all is said and done, let's turn the page, and begin our journey into a world of dragons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. My first major fic. okay let's hope this goes well. As a scientific and nature minded individual, I always wondered about the specific bits of information regarding the dragons of HTTYD. Their evolutionary history, biology, ecology, etc. 
> 
> This is my attempt at exploring that. As I update the fic, I will add a tag for each dragon species we've covered.


	2. Dragon Classes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could it be? Another chapter so early? Yes it is. I actually have all of these introduction chapters done, beyond a few edits, so I'm likely going to post them all today as well as the first dragon profile. After that I just have to do dragon profiles, and so updates should be at a less frequent (but hopefully at least once weekly) pace.

Dragons are divided into several different classes dependent on various traits and features that the species exhibits. These classes are a more common use classification to give an idea of what the dragon could be capable of at a quick glance, and not intended to show the evolutionary relationships between species. This dragon class system has been used for centuries, and continues to be a useful tool in the modern day. Below are each of the nine dragon classes, as well as a short description of the traits shared by the dragons in that class. 

Boulder – Dragons belonging to this class are closely associated with the earth. Many of them are able to eat stone, and some, like the gronkle, make it their primary food source! 

Mystery – In the past, the mystery class was used as a dump class for newly discovered dragons and ones that were poorly understood. With the creation of the unknown class, all the dragons that had been placed in the mystery class temporarily were moved there, but some had remained. Nowdays, members of the mystery class are dragons who tend to be experts in staying hidden, like changewings, smokebreaths, and snaptrappers. Through mimicry, color changing or smokescreens, the dragons of the mystery class know how to not be seen unless they want to be. 

Sharp – The dragons in this class all have exactly one thing in common: their razor sharp bodies! These dragons are known for the distinctive trait of having various parts of their body that are as sharp as, or sharper than a metal blade. It could be the tail spines of the deadly nadder, or the wing scales of the timberjack, or maybe even the snout of the hackatoo. Whatever it is, be careful around them, for cuts and scratches (intentional and unintentional) are a fact of life when working with these dragons.

Stoker – These dragons are all about fire. Stoker class dragons are best known for the intensity and power of their flames, and their legendary flame resistance. All dragons are flameproof on the outside, but stoker class dragons take this to the next level by doing things like lighting themselves on fire, or burning with an intensity no person or dragon could ever hope to reproduce alone. 

Strike – Strike class dragons are fast, smart, and dangerous. They are elusive dragons that rarely approach people, even in this new era of human-dragon peace. Many strike class dragons are also capable of using some kind of plasma breath weapon, although not all can. 

Tidal – Tidal class dragons live under the sea, in lakes and rivers, and near bodies of water. They tend to be aquatic in nature, and are incapable of breathing fire. Instead, they may use electricity, water, sound, or even ice to defend themselves. 

Tracker – The tracker class is a rather new class. Several species of dragons previously placed in other classes were moved here, while some not yet given a class were given this one. As the primary defining feature of this class is simply an exceptional tracking ability, many of the dragons in this class who had been previously placed in one of the other six primary classes (Boulder, Mystery, Sharp, Stoker, Strike, Tidal) were double-classed, with tracker class being added as a secondary class in addition to their original class.

Unknown – This class is used primarily for dragons that are newly-discovered, or who have not yet been studied enough to place them in one of the other classes. The unknown class is only a temporary classification, with dragons being moved into a more permanent class as soon as possible. Many extinct species of dragon are also classified as unknown, despite the presence of living species from which one could theorize a potential classification. 

Mythical – This is a rarely-used dragon class. Only dragons who's very existence is debated, or dragons who can only be found in legends, such as the lycanwing, are placed here. 

Fear – This class is one that is no longer used (and as such not counted as one of the nine dragon classes), and in its time of use only contained three dragon species: The snaptrapper, zippleback, and flightmare. It is unknown why these dragons were placed in a class all their own, but it is believed that it had to do with the fear or terror that they inspired. For the flightmare, it may have been the old belief that they were capable of making their enemies freeze in fear, and the zippleback and snapptrapper may have been placed here due to being the only two dragons with more than one head (At the time this dragon class was used). Either way, the fear class was dissolved and the three dragons in it were relocated to more appropriate classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as you can see, I am going to be making some minor changes to the canon dragon classes, as well as shuffling some of the dragons around a bit. Many will stay where they are (Don't worry ya'll, night furies are still strike class!), but if there is one that I think fits better in a different class than the one it was given, it will be moved. This also allows me to place dragons that were never given any kind of class in official media, such as species from Rescue Riders or the books.


	3. Dragon Stats

Dragons are given numbers in one of eight stats to summarize their strength in each category. These numbers are not a solid measurement, but instead an average reached after observing several members of the species and comparing them with other dragons. 

Some dragon species, most notably megafaunal species like the bewilderbeast or crimson goregutter, may be lacking in stats. This is due to a number of reasons, including their rarity and their immense size and power compared to non-megafaunal dragons making comparisons to others of their species and other dragons extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible. 

The eight stats used are as follows: Attack, Speed, Armor, Firepower, Shot Limit, Venom, Jaw Strength, and Stealth. Below is a brief summary of what each stat measures.

Attack – Measures the dragons physical offensive capabilities to use its claws, teeth, tail, etc. in battle. 

Speed – Measures how fast the dragon can move on average. 

Armor – Measures the toughness of the dragon's scales and other defenses. 

Firepower – Measures the strength of a dragon's fire or breath weapon. 

Shot Limit – Measures the number of times a dragon can use its breath weapon in a row without having to stop and refuel. 

Venom – Measures the strength of the dragon's venom, if it has any. (a score of 0 indicates the dragon species has no venom) 

Jaw Strength – Measures the strength of the dragon's bite. 

Stealth – Measures the dragon's ability to remain undetected by predators or prey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more pre-made chapters left before dragon profiles! I'm excited, are you excited? I'm actually pretty stoked to share this with the HTTYD fandom on here. Its been bumping around in my head for a while and I can't wait to show ya'll more.


	4. Megafaunal Dragons

In the ancient era of the archipelago, there were many species of dragon that no longer exist today, and many that still do exist. One such example are the megafaunal dragons. 

The term 'megafaunal dragon' does not refer to a specific clade of dragons, but instead all dragon species approaching gargantuan sizes such as that of the fathomfin, red death, bewilderbeast, goregutter, foreverwing, etc. 

These dragons are ancient species, and are the largest known living species of dragons. They are incredibly rare, and most are nearing extinction. Very little is known about them, as a lack of individuals makes them difficult to study. 

With each new piece of information that we learn about megafaunal dragons, we learn a little bit more about the history of dragons as a whole, particularly their evolution. The red death was helpful in learning about the history of gronkles and their relatives, while the shellfire managed to reveal some unknown secrets about thunderdrums and their relatives. 

While most species of dragons are protected under the standard laws protecting all animals, with slight modifications to account for their nature, megafaunal species are covered by stricter protections, known commonly as 'The Alpha Law'. The Alpha Law attaches a strict fine to harming, threatening, or slaying a megafaunal dragon or its young, interfering with their nesting, feeding, or life habits in a manner that is detrimental to their health, and other such actions that are detrimental to the dragon in any direct manner with a few specific exceptions. For example, the sole exceptions to the prohibition on slaying a megafaunal species is if A) The dragon is already terminally injured or ill and euthanization is the only method of relieving its suffering, or B) The dragon is in a state known as 'Mad Feral', AND all other options have been attempted or considered. 

Mad Feral is a mental state affecting all species of megafaunal dragons, with the first recorded case of this being the red death individual killed by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and his night fury Toothless in an attempt to stop the dragon raids on his home of Berk (Now known as Old Berk, second most populous city of the Barbaric Archipelago). There is no known cure to Mad Feral. When a dragon is afflicted with mad feral, it will become highly prone to aggression, often seeking to attack other dragon nests and take over. They become tyrants, forcing their will upon the dragons in their nest. A single mad feral dragon can cause massive destruction, and sadly the causes are poorly understood. Opportunities to study it are almost non-existent, with only seven known cases in the last 1,700 years. The danger posed by going near an individual in a mad feral state has also made it difficult to study, and many humans and dragons have lost their lives attempting to do so. 

Now one might think that these laws are rather extreme, even for species that are considered endangered (as most megafaunal dragons are), however they exist for a reason. In addition to being incredibly rare, megafaunal dragons are indicators of a healthy ecosystem, as well as in many instances a keystone species in the environment. For example, foreverwings can only live in areas with no air pollution, indicating through their presence in an area that the air is clean, and also help to enrich the soil and provide habitats for many species. Bewilderbeasts need large populations of fish to feed from, and so only live in areas of the ocean that aren't overfished, but through their icy breath also create roosting spots for dragons as well as resting spots and shelter for other marine life. That importance many of them have, both to the ecosystem and as environmental indicators, is why the laws about them are so strict. That, and people would rather not end up with one rampaging. While most megafaunal dragons tend to be rather peaceful as a result of their size, as very few things are large enough to pose a threat to them, if one gets truly angry the wake of destruction left behind by its rampage is a devastating event that is best avoided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Large dragons the size of mountains will for sure have an effect on the ecosystem. I needed a way to work with them on this, so i decided to make them really rare, ancient dragon species. As for how specifically each is an indicator to the health of the ecosystem and what it does, that will have to wait for us to cover the dragons themselves.


	5. Dragon Classification

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay notes up here because you have to know this before reading the chapter. 
> 
> The dragon classification looks rather incomplete as of when the chapter was posted. THIS IS ON PURPOSE.
> 
> In order to surprise you with how some dragons are connected to each other, dragons will be added to the tree and branches reveled as each dragon is discussed. A chapter on night furies is posted? The branch relating to night furies will be added in and this chapter updated to reflect it. This also helps me because as i finish classifying some of the more difficult dragons, or more are reveled, the entire tree doesn't suddenly become massively outdated. New dragons shown in cartoons or spinoffs or games made after today have, for all intents and purposes been on the tree the whole time, just not revealed. I do promise I have a good majority of the movie/game dragons classified barring new releases though, so the near-complete tree (half complete if you count the book dragons as well) does exist. It just hasnt been shown.

Dragons are reptiles classified under _Sauropsida_ in the clade _Sauria._ They belong to the order _Draconia,_ although it is unsure where exactly they fall within _Sauria_. Within the order _Draconia,_ there are four main groups of dragons. The _Dracoraptoidae, Cornubevridae,_ and _Celeridae_ families and the superfamily _Dracoidea._ As different dragon species are explored, this page will be updated to show where they fall on the dragon family tree.

  * Order - _Draconia_
    * Family - _Dracoraptoridae_
    * Family - _Cornubevridae_
      * Subfamily - _Gronklinae_
        * Genus - _Ventrigna_
          * Gronckle _(Ventrigna petra)_
        * Genus - _Findos_
          * Silkspanner _(Findos sericum)_
      * Subfamily - _Multarterrinae_
        * Genus - _Salamandra_
          * Fireworm _(Salamandra solis)_
    * Superfamily - _Dracoidea_
      * Family - _Retrospicidae_
        * Subfamily - _Coluberinae_
          * Genus - _Serpens_
            * Seashocker _(Serpens electrica)_
              * Covecharger _(Serpens electrica sinu)_
    * Family - _Celeridae_
      * Subfamily - _Furinae_
        * Genus - _Fury_
          * Night Fury _(Fury nox)_




	6. Silkspanner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is! Our first dragon profile. Now that that's been posted, I'm going to slow down a bit and finish up some more of the dragon profiles, as well as classifying the last few dragons i have left to classify.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Silkspanner ( _Findos sericum_ )  
Unknown Class

Breath Weapon: Silk  
Attack: 4  
Speed: 6  
Armor: 5  
Firepower: 9  
Shot Limit: 10  
Venom: -3  
Jaw Strength: 3  
Stealth: 5

Silkspanners are a hexapod dragon species, with the first and third pair of limbs being bulkier than the second pair. They are one of the smaller species, with the largest individuals reaching no longer than 5 feet in total length, 3 ½ excluding the tail. Silkspanners have four eyes, one pair located behind the nasal openings and the second, smaller pair located directly behind the first. Their lower jaw is split, appearing as two mandibles located at the joint between the upper jaw and a bony plate that has the appearance of a lower jaw. All silkspanners have at least two long spines located at the base of the mandibles, although some individuals have been seen to have a third, shorter one as well. Thin spikes run down their back, starting at the point directly above the nose and between the first set of eyes, and running to the tip of their tail.

Silkspanners are a relative of gronckles, red deaths, hotburples, and catastrophic quakens, being a member of the subfamily _Gronklinae_ , or 'True Gronckles', and a member of the same genus as the quaken. To the outside observer, the connection to the quaken and other _Gronklinae_ may not be incredibly obvious, but even before genetic testing confirmed it the silkspanners had a few particular points in their favor. First, the jaw structure of the quaken and silkspanner, particularly the joint allowing their three-part jaws to open and close, are remarkable similar. Second are their eyes. Similar to their cousin, the red death dragons, silkspanners have another set of eyes in addition to the standard single pair that most dragons have. (Note that all three known dragons exhibiting polycephaly do not count as having more than one set of eyes, as each head only has one set. To be considered as having more than one set in the same manner as the red deaths and silkspanners, a dragon must have more than one pair of eyes on a single head.) It might then interest you to know then, that three sets of eyes is a basal trait all members of _Gronklinae_ share! When comparing embryos of developing infants from various species in the True Gronckle subfamily, it was observed that at one point in their development all of the developing embryos have three eyes. In most species, barring an unforeseen genetic mutation, the second and third pair are reabsorbed while the first pair continues to develop. In silkspanners, only the third pair of eyes is absorbed. However, the missing eyes still leave a lasting mark on the embryo: The eyes are only reabsorbed after the skeleton has formed, leaving the dragon with extra eye sockets in its skull. 

Silkspanners are semi-specialist herbivores, feeding primarily on the dragonvine plant, although they are able to consume other forms of plantlife if absolutely necessary. They are the only known species to be immune to its toxin, with their saliva and blood containing a neutralizing compound. This compound is a major component in the dragonvine antidote, and if caught soon enough the saliva alone can be used to treat it. Silkspanners seem to be able to know instinctively if a person or dragon has been poisoned by dragonvine, likely something that also is applicable to the dragonvine itself and allows them to sense the plant as well. It is presumed that the toxin gives off an odor or other otherwise unseen indicator that they can sense, although evidence to suggest what this may be is sketchy at best.

Silkspanners are social animals, living in large nests, or 'galleries', built out of the webbing that they produce. Large numbers of unrelated individuals and their offspring can live together in the same gallery, working together to defend the nest and collect food. When resources or living space starts to become scarce, the group will split apart and migrate to new habitats.

Lacking wings, silkspanners travel from island to island by ballooning. They spin webbing between their limbs to act as a parachute, and fill an expandable bladder-like pouch in their gullets with air to decrease their density. This allows them to glide from place to place, and in the event that they crash-land in the ocean, their webbing allows them to float on the water's surface until they reach land.

Silkspanners are not typically aggressive or territorial animals, only attacking in defense of themselves or their nestmates. When attacked, their primary method of defense is to coat the attacker in their webbing, which is strong enough that a single silkspanner can keep most predators at bay long enough to escape. Failing that, they are excellent climbers, and will often attempt to climb out of reach.

Silkspanners breed in spring, with the males constructing intricately designed nests and performing a mating display that consists of stomping, walking circles, and similar motions in an attempt to woo a female. When the display is successful, the pair are mated for the year, raising a clutch of 6-8 eggs. The young look like miniatures of their parent, but are unable to spin silk or bite into dragonvine. They feed by lapping up the juices of dragonvines their parents bite, as well as eating partially digested plant matter that their parents regurgitate. Young silkspanners have also been seen to ride on their parent's backs when they are gliding or climbing to travel farther or when the nest migrates. Young silkspanners are able to shoot webs at the age of three months and are able to survive without their parents at eight months. Silkspanners will not have the same mate every year, and may have a different one every year.

Silkspanners are highly distributed across the archipelago, although they are most often seen in areas that dragonvine is known to grow in, such as dragonvine island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay the formatting on this thing is a nightmare. I don't know how some of y'all apply fancy effects to your text, I can barely italicize it!


	7. Night Fury

Night Fury ( _Fury nox_ )  
Strike Class 

Breath Weapon: Acetylene and Oxygen Plasma Charges  
Attack: 9  
Speed: 18  
Armor: 6  
Firepower: 14  
Shot Limit: 6  
Venom: 0  
Jaw Strength: 7  
Stealth: 20 (Only at night) 

Night Furies are an elusive species of dragon that is built for speed. They can reach 26 feet in length on average, with an average wingspan of 45 feet. They have a single set of bat-like primary wings above the shoulder, with a fin-like set of secondary wings located at the base of the tail. The end of their tail has a set of tailfins used primarily in steering and stabilization during flight. They have a wide, flattened head filled with 32 retractable teeth. At the base of the skull are 6 ear-like appendages, although they are not actually ears. Their bodies are covered in pitch black scales. 

Night furies are in the family _Celeridae_ , and the subfamily _Furinae_ , named after the night fury, which is the type species of the subfamily. The exact evolutionary relationships between the different species in _Furinae_ is unknown, however the basal species is believed to be similar in appearance to a swiftwing or sand wraith. One population of this species might have moved to a mountainous area, with the groups higher on the mountain adapting into the night fury, while the groups lower on the mountainside eventually became other species of dragons. Detailed examination of night furies for comparison to other _Furinae_ species to further determine their placement in the taxonomy is made difficult by the general rarity of the species, not only due to their natural solitary nature, but also as a result of the extermination carried out by Grimmel the Grisly. 

Night furies are carnivores, feeding primarily on fish and small animals such as boars and deer. They hunt at night, using their night vision to fly in the air while searching for prey below. When it finds something, the night fury will use its speed to dive bomb the prey, either killing it with a small fireball or picking it up and carrying it off. 

For the most part, night furies are a solitary species. Males will tolerate female night furies and other dragon species, but are very territorial towards other males, actively chasing them away. Females are less territorial, allowing multiple females and juvenile males on their territory, but will often chase out adult males. They still prefer to remain alone outside of breeding season however, just ignoring other dragons in their area. 

Being nocturnal, night furies are most active at night, when their scales allow them to essentially disappear into the night sky. They stick to the shadows, using their eyesight and echolocation abilities to navigate. 

Night furies are among one of the more intelligent dragon species. In the few times they have been observed alive, they have been seen to observe the actions of humans and in many cases attempt to mimic them. Historical accounts attribute the ability to create art and solve complex puzzles to the species, although it is unknown if this is a true reflection of their intelligence or merely legend. 

Night furies breed in the late summer. Males will patrol their territory, producing infrasonic calls that can be heard by females up to 30 miles away in ideal conditions. Once a male encounters a female, he will initiate a courtship dance and flight in order to impress the female. If the female is receptive to his advances, she will join him in the dance and flight and the two will mate. Male night furies do not typically play a part in raising the young, and most leave after mating. Females will lay one to three eggs in a den, typically located on a cliffside or other inaccessible location with access to nearby food and water. The eggs take about six weeks to hatch, and are cared for by the mother. They are reliant on her care for a two year period, during which they learn how to hunt, fly, and defend themselves. After they have been with their mother for two years, they have matured enough to care for themselves, and leave to find their own territory. Females may stay closer to their own mother, while the males leave to find territory farther away. Night furies are not sexually mature until they reach 5 years of age. 

Night furies are a historically rare species. Back in the beginning of recorded history, a warlord known as Grimmel the Grisly carried out an extermination of the species. His exact reasons for doing so were unclear, but one of the driving forces may have been a grudge against the species brought about by an attack during the Dragon War. Whatever his reasons, thousands of dragons are believed to have died during his campaign, and only a small handful of the remains have been found. 

Even before then, night furies are theorized to have been an uncommon species, and have never been able to truly recover from the decline brought about by Grimmel. In modern times, they are found most often near mountains and caves, although traces of their presence, such as scales, eggshells, or droppings, are found more often than the actual dragon. 

It is also during the time of the Dragon Wars that we find the best-known example of a living night fury named Toothless (likely due to the retractable teeth), being the dragon trained by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. Historical accounts indicate that the two met during the Dragon War, where Hiccup shot him down. Instead of killing the dragon however, Hiccup let him go, something completely unexpected at the time. Curious about the dragon, Hiccup continued to watch and observe, bonding with it. This bond would last for their entire life, during which much can be learned about the night fury species as a whole. Information gathered from these historical accounts must be treated with caution, as dragon training has been known to alter some natural behaviors, such as sleep cycles. For example, it is not uncommon for nocturnal dragons to become diurnal to match the sleeping patterns of their trainer, so we must always wonder how many of the night fury behaviors recorded by Hiccup are true, and how many are the result of unintended training.

Officially, night furies are considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and are granted all the protections of that designation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a reminder, the chapter 5 (Called 'Dragon Classification') should now be updated to show the night fury on it!


	8. Fireworm

Fireworm ( _Salamandra solis_ )  
Stoker Class 

Breath Weapon: Flammable Gel, Sticky Napalm-like fire   
Attack: 4 (Worker), 16 (Queen)   
Speed: 3 (Worker), 13 (Queen)   
Armor: 5 (Worker), 15 (Queen)   
Firepower: 18 (Worker), 20 (Queen)   
Shot Limit: 0 (Worker), 6 (Queen)   
Venom: 1 (Worker), -4 (Queen, used on Stoker-class dragon), 4 (Queen, not used on Stoker-class dragon)   
Jaw Strength: 2 (Worker), 6 (Queen)   
Stealth: 13 (Worker), 4 (Queen) 

Fireworms are decapodal dragons, meaning they have ten legs, as well as a set of wings. Most fireworms are only a few inches long, with the exception of queen and princess fireworms, which can reach several feet in length. They have a curved horn on the tip of their snout, and the queens have a 'crown' of spikes on the back of their skull. Fireworms typically emit a bright glow from their skin. 

Fireworms are in the family _Cornubevridae_ , subfamily _Multarterrinae_. Closely related to the thunderpede, fireworms are believed to be the ancestor to the thunderpeede, as well as a distant ancestor of the hackatoo. They share the pillar-like legs and multi-chambered stomach of the thunderpede, as well as having a similar jaw structure. 

Fireworms are omnivores, feeding on berries, meat, fish, insects, and other food items that the workers bring back to the nest. A worker fireworm will, when it has found a large source of food, bring a sample back to the nest and share it with other workers, before showing them where the food is located. In this way, an entire swarm can make their way to a large source of food, such as the carcass of a gronkle or buffalord, and render it down entirely for the colony to use. 

Fireworms are the only known species of eusocial dragon. They live in large colonies led by a queen, with hundreds of thousands of adult workers. In this way they are much the same as ants: Workers care for the queen and nest, the queen lays the eggs and ensures the future of the colony. However, there are a few key ways that a fireworm colony differs from an ant or bee colony. First, in a fireworm colony, both males and females are workers. Fireworm colonies tend to have far less members than ant or bee colonies, making the colony having both genders as workers an advantage. This leads us directly into the second point: Fireworm queens do far more than just lay eggs. Unlike in an ant or bee colony where the queen just lays eggs, a fireworm queen is far more active in caring for the nest. She will help ensure all the brood is properly cared for, the nest is structurally sound, and will help defend the nest from intruders if needed. The most common invader of a fireworm nest is the cavern crasher, which feeds on the firecomb and eggs of the fireworm colony.

Fireworms have an incredibly high surface temperature, and are able to increase the temperature of their skin as a defense mechanism, making their bodies too hot for an organism to withstand. It is currently unknown how they are able to do this without burning themselves, but the compound they produce, known as flame gel, is believed to play an important role. Flame gel is also able to cure stoker class dragons afflicted by an inability to produce fire when mixed with the venom produced by a fireworm, however a fireworm's venom is dangerous to non-stoker class dragons and humans. While the venom from a single worker will not do much, venom from multiple workers or a queen can cause fever, delirium, sweating, and high skin temperatures. If gone untreated or if the dosage is large enough, the temperature of the victim can rise to fatal levels. Because of this, it is advised to avoid bothering a large swarm of fireworms, or entering their nest uninvited. If you avoid these two things, you should be safe as fireworms only bite when threatened. 

Fireworms hatch from octagonal eggs that are approximately 5 inches long and two inches wide. These eggs are secured on the walls of the hive, giving it the distinctive honeycomb look. When a fireworm hatches from its egg, the egg will remain on the wall of the hive and act as food storage space, flame gel storage, and storage for other things. Unlike ants, princess fireworms act like ordinary workers until the time comes for them to breed, taking care of brood, gathering food, and preforming other ordinary tasks. Like ants, fireworm princesses go on nuptial flights, where every male and princess within hundreds of thousands of miles will fly out over the open sea into a massive swarm. The males are the size of a regular worker, but at this point the princesses are only twice that size. The princesses mate with as many unrelated males as they can until sundown, when the swarm starts to dissipate and return to their individual nests. Something worth noting is that unlike eusocial insects such as ants and bees, not all the males will perish after they mate, and those that do are often killed and eaten by the sea dragons that gather to feed from the swarm. The princesses fly higher up in the clouds than the males, with the males providing a slight shield to distract hungry ocean dragons. 

Once a princess returns to the nest following a nuptial flight, she will remain there for another year, growing larger to match the size of her mother. Once the princess reaches the size of their mother, she will leave the nest and set out to find a good location for her own colony. 

Fireworms are found all across the Archipelagof with the exception of the far north regions, where the cooler temperatures are too cold for them to survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, the fireworm. This one was pretty fun, since I got to play around with eusociality in dragons.
> 
> As a reminder, the Dragon Classification chapter will now have fireworms shown on it.


	9. Gronckle

Gronckle ( _Ventrigna petra_ )  
Boulder Class 

Breath Weapon: Lava Slug (Melted by Heptane/Oxygen)  
Attack: 7  
Speed: 8  
Armor: 12  
Firepower: 17  
Shot Limit: 6  
Venom: 0  
Jaw Strength: 14  
Stealth: 4 

Gronckles are a common dragon species. They reach 14 feet long on average, with an adult wingspan of 18 feet. They have large heads, stubby bodies, and a clubbed tail. Their wing to body size ratio is rather small, but by beating their wings at a speed comparable to that of a hummingbird or bumblebee they are able to sustain flight. The lower jaw protrudes slightly, allowing the teeth to stick out. Their bodies are covered in many rough pebble-like scales. 

Gronckles are classified in the subfamily _Groncklinae_ , or True Gronckles. The subfamily is known for pillar-like legs, more than one set of eyes being present during development, and their small wing to body size ratio. They also all tend to be lithovores, although stones and other such minerals may not make up a majority of the dragon's diet, depending on the species. 

Gronckles are lithovores, feeding primarily on various minerals and stones. Minerals such as granite appear to be the most common components of a gronckle's diet. In addition, they are able to consume some root plants, but typically do not do so. While a gronckle can consume almost any combination of rocks and minerals with no ill effects, it should be noted that certain combinations of minerals fed to a gronckle may have unexpected results. For example, feeding a gronckle three limestone, two sandstone, one iron ore, and a bit of regurgitated gronckle lava will produce the metal known as 'gronckle iron'. Occasionally, a gronckle who has consumed the minerals known to make gronckle iron or other specific formulas may have trouble regurgitating lava on its own, which can lead to complications such as lava build up and, if untreated long enough, the dragon exploding. If your gronckle is having trouble regurgitating lava and is experiencing stomach pains, tickle the underside of its stomach to induce vomiting and make a list of all the rocks it has consumed in the last 24 hours, then see a vet. 

Gronckles are a rather docile species, famous for being one of the easiest species to train. They can often be found lying in the sun, often in groups of 3-6. While they are docile and easygoing, a threatened or aggressive gronckle is a serious threat. Their lava blasts are able to melt stone and incinerate a person, and this combined with their thick skin, maneuverability, and ability to almost instantly recharge by consuming stones, makes them a standard dragon species used in warfare. 

Gronckles are an extremely maneuverable dragon species. Despite their slow speed, they are one of the few dragons that can fly up, down, left, right, forward, backward, and diagonally. Most often though, they can be found on the ground, foraging for stones to eat. Gronckles also often can be found rolling around in patches of dragon nip. Although many dragons are susceptible to the plant's various properties, and gronckles are no exception. Curiously, they are not affected by the effects of the dragonroot plant unless it is directly injected into their bloodstream. The reasons for this are unknown, but are believed to be connected to their diet. 

Gronckles nest in large colonies in the late spring and early summer. Males build large rock nests to attract the attention of a female. The competition between males for the perfect rocks that could be added to the nest, and often two males will fight for a rock. When a female decides on a male, she will lay 4-8 eggs in the rock nest. These eggs are about 4.5 inches long on average, and are typically a dark grey in color. The rock-like appearance of the eggs allows them to blend in with the nest, protecting them from predators like the cavern crasher. The duty of caring for the eggs and hatchlings is shared by both parents. The parents will take turns, one watching over the nest while the other goes to find food or sleep. After a period of 6 weeks, the eggs literally explode open. While this may seem a little violent, the thick shell of a gronckle egg is too tough for the hatchling to break open on its own, so as the embryo matures a gas builds up inside the egg. When the time comes for the infant to hatch, it ignites the gas, forcing the egg to explode open. The infant is kept safe by a combination of the amniotic fluids and their thick skin, although it is not uncommon for a hatchlings first voyage through the air to be after hatching, when they are launched high in the air and land on the ground rather disoriented. 

Gronckles are found literally anywhere there are rocks. Rockier islands such as Dragon Island are able to support larger year-round populations, while other islands may only be able to support seasonal or temporary populations.


	10. Seashocker

Seashocker ( _Serpens electrica_ )  
Covecharger ( _Serpens electrica sinu_ )  
Tidal Class 

Breath Weapon: Electricity   
Attack: 5   
Speed: 1 (Land) 12 (Water)   
Armor: 5   
Firepower: 12  
Shot Limit: 5   
Venom: 0   
Jaw Strength: 4   
Stealth: 3 (Land), 18 (Water) 

Seashockers are a species of dragon that vaguely resembles a manta ray. They have large cartilaginous wings that act as paddles, while their true wings are located underneath, acting primarily as rudders for stabilization and steering. They are one of the few known dragons to exhibit polycephaly, having two identical heads on the front of the body. As is standard with most polycephalic dragons, each head of the seashocker controls one half of the body. Each head is capable of controlling both halves of the body, however shortly after birth the heads divide the task of controlling the body. Seashockers typically have a darker blue back and a lighter underside, allowing them to blend in with the ocean in a manner seen in many other species of open ocean animals. 

Seashockers belong in the subfamily _Coluberinae_ , along with changewings, bewilderbeasts, slithersongs, sliquifiers, and slitherwings. Their closest living relative is the slitherwing, and it is believed that at some point in the past, a population of slitherwings were forced into the sea to escape predators or find food. The skeletal structure of seashockers supports this theory, bearing many similarities to the slitherwing, particularly in wing structure and skull shape. 

Seashockers are primarily piscivores, feeding on large schools of fish. They will, however, also feed on injured whales, sea dragons, and the occasional seabird. When hunting, seashockers will use echolocation to locate prey, then surround it with the other members of their pod and stun it with electricity. Once prey is paralyzed, the seashocker pod will tear off chunks of flesh, or swallow bite-sized prey whole until there is little left. 

Seashockers are social animals, living in pods of 10 or more. These pods consist of mated pairs and their offspring. Seashocker pods work together to protect the pod, collect food, raise young, and play. They can often be seen swimming at great speeds and then jumping out of the water, often being able to glide for certain lengths of time. This should not be mistaken for the ability to fly however, as the seashocker's wings are far too small to allow for powered flight, and the cartilage wings that it possesses are not nearly maneuverable enough to accomplish the fine movements required. Their echolocation is not only used to hunt for prey, but also to navigate like dolphins and whales. 

Like dolphins, seashockers are playful, and can be seen playing all kinds of games amongst members of their pod, as well as a human trainer if they have one. Common games include chase or tag, hide and seek, and keep-away. These games are belived to be a method of teaching survival skills, as well as a form of play. 

Like all dragons, seashockers must lay eggs. A female will clamber onto the sand and lay a single egg, where it sits protected by the mother for just a few days until it hatches. You may wonder how the embryo is able to incubate so fast, but the embryo doesn’t incubate any faster than any other dragon egg. Instead, the mother will hold the fully developed egg inside of her up until the very end of the incubation period, laying it only when the time for it to hatch approaches. This minimizes the amount of time that the parents and the egg spend on land, as the young enter the ocean as soon as they hatch. 

Covechargers are a subspecies of the seashocker. They are found in more coastal areas, and their pattern is adapted to allow them to camouflage on the rocky seabed. 

Seashockers are found in open waters all throughout the archipelago, while covechargers are found in coastal locations near the southwest of the archipelago.


End file.
